


The Halls of Mandos

by silvertrails



Series: Quick to Anger [4]
Category: The Silmarillion and other histories of Middle-Earth - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-20
Updated: 2017-08-20
Packaged: 2018-12-17 18:39:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,308
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11857371
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/silvertrails/pseuds/silvertrails
Summary: Caranthir remembers his previous encounter with Námo.





	The Halls of Mandos

**The Halls of Mandos  
** By CC  
May, 2014 

This is an amateur effort and does not intend to infringe on the rights of J.R.R. Tolkien. No profit is made and no harm is intended.

* * *

Carnistir cursed loudly as he urged his horse into a canter. He should have known that Tyelkormo would leave him behind if he strayed away in search of gems, but Carnistir had been unable to resist the lure of a nearby mine. Now he had his bag full of beautiful rubies, but he was lost and there was no trace of Tyelkormo. If only Carnistir remembered the way to Lord Oromë’s house...

Surely his brother was already there, Carnistir thought, as he allowed Dark Star to slow down to a trot. He had been so sure he’d remember the way to the Vala’s house that he had paid no mind to Tyelkormo’s warning. Now it seemed that he was lost. 

Carnistir sighed. The vast plains in front of him didn’t seem to have an end, and he was not so sure he would find his way back to the city. He was tired and thirsty, and the light of Laurëlin was waning. It might be better to return to the mine, and hope Tyelkormo found him on his way back home. Carnistir was about to do just that when a sudden light startled him. He raised a hand to cover his eyes, and it was then that he saw a slim figure coming towards him. She was the most beautiful Elf-maiden he had ever seen, with long dark honey-colored hair and expressive brown eyes. He dismounted. 

“Are you lost, child?”

Had she called him child? Carnistir barely managed not to frown at the beautiful lady. It was true that he was not of age yet, but he was hardly a child. 

“I’m not lost, my lady,” he said quickly. “I was looking for my brother, but perhaps I should go back. My brother must have reached his destination already. He was heading for Lord Oromë’s lair.” 

The lady smiled. “Oh, you mean Tyelkormo. I saw him with Oromë and Irmo a moment ago. You are Carnistir, are you not?”

Carnistir nodded warily. It was true that the sons of Fëanáro were well-known in Valinor but how could she... unless this lady was not one of his people... 

“Who are you?” he asked carefully. 

The lady grinned, and her eyes danced with amusement, drawing Carnistir into their depths. He would have felt offended, normally, but there was something about this lady that made it impossible for him to be angry at her. 

“I am Vairë,” the lady said. “My husband and I sensed your presence near our lair; that’s why I asked if you were lost. We didn’t think you would be coming here unless you had lost your way.”

Carnistir nodded, wondering how such a sweet lady could be the wife of the Lord of Mandos. It didn’t make sense. Surely he was stern and unfriendly. Carnistir was glad that Vairë had come and not him. He could remember having nightmares about Námo taking him to Mandos when he was an elfling. Tyelkormo still teased him about it. 

“Greetings, Lady Vairë,” he said respectfully. “I was following Tyelkormo, but I stayed back, and I cannot remember the way to Lord Oromë’s lair,” he admitted. 

Vairë smiled. “I could guide you there, or perhaps my husband could. I believe he is headed to see Oromë as well.”

Carnistir paled slightly, but didn’t say anything. He was not looking forward to meeting Lord Námo. Before he could say anything, Vairë gestured for him to turn around. Carnistir did, and froze when he saw a tall Vala with long dark hair and eyes that seemed to draw Carnistir into a memory of the past.

“I know you,” he whispered, still trying to recall the memory. It was like water slipping through his fingers. He patted Dark Star’s neck, worried that his horse might bolt away, but it was strangely calm. 

Námo nodded seriously. “Aye, you know me, and I wonder how did you strayed away from your path and came so close to our lair, young one.”

Vairë smiled at Námo, obviously amused. “There is no need to be cryptic, beloved. We were speaking about you, Carnistir.”

“About me?” When Námo didn’t react, the anger took hold of Carnistir once again. “I don’t like riddles, or to be left in the dark, my lord.” 

“Of course, you are right,” Námo said. “We were speaking about you because I sensed you were close. You were heading to that mine south from Tirion; I was worried that you would walk into uncharted territory alone.”

“We have been told that we are free to explore Valinor,” Carnistir said. “Are you going to forbid us to go to certain places?”

“There are places where not even we, Valar, would go alone, Carnistir,” Vairë said. “Is it something bad that we want to protect you, the Children of Eru?”

“We are not children, my lady,” Carnistir said, softening his tone. 

“You are children to us, who have lived longer, but that doesn’t necessarily make us wiser. We don’t mean to upset you, Carnistir.”

“But why does it upset you?” Námo asked suddenly. 

Carnistir wanted to glare at him, but the Vala seemed to be genuinely interested in his answer. So Carnistir reined himself in and tried to think of a way to explain things to a Vala who happened to be the Lord of Mandos and could take him... Carnistir froze.

“I remember now!” he exclaimed. “You came to me that night, and you were looking for Lord Irmo! I forgot about it!”

Námo blinked, apparently surprised by Carnistir’s outburst. The Vala looked at Lady Vairë, who looked back at him as if they had already spoken about this. Carnistir could feel the anger come to the front again. 

“It was best that you forgot about our encounter, Morifinwë. We are not supposed to intrude in your lives. I was there because Irmo told me that you had nightmares about the Halls.”

“I heard Lord Irmo speaking, but why is it that I dreamed of the Halls? I still have dreams sometimes.”

“We don’t know, Morifinwë,” Námo said. “We know many things, but there are others that Eru keeps in his mind.”

“Maybe we should ask Irmo about those dreams,” Vairë said, “but for now it would be best if you take Carnistir to Oromë’s lair, beloved. Young Tyelkormo must be concerned for him, and you could tell him not to be angry at his brother,” she added, turning to Carnistir and winking at him.

“Will you allow me to mount behind you, young one?” Námo asked. “That way I will be able to guide Dark Star best.”

“How do you...?” Carnistir started to ask, and then he just nodded. He would not be surprised if the Valar also knew what he had eaten today. 

“Good-bye, young one,” Vairë said. “Stay safe.”

“I will,” he whispered, and when Lord Námo mounted behind him, he didn’t dare to turn around and look at him. He was still angry at the Vala, but he could not deny the feeling of safety that washed over him. What was this all about? Was Lord Námo finally going to take him? Would he die, like Míriel did?

“Let’s go,” Námo said quietly, and Dark Star obeyed him. “Let me hold you, so we can go faster and arrive there before your brother leaves.”

Carnistir nodded, and when Lord Námo encircled his waist, he tried hard to stay awake, but his eyes were already closing. Were they going as fast as the wind? Carnistir could not say, but somehow he knew that Lord Námo would not take him into his Halls. Not this time, at least.


End file.
